The Flames of Medicine

23

Claire POV:

I was so excited. I hadn't felt this way in a huge time. To be exact, 2 months. The 2 months that I've been here in this hospital, which apparently ends in about 4 weeks, when I go to a new "home". Whatever that is. The only sense of home that I've had is my stay here at this hospital where I've developed a friendship with my doctors. And they treat me like a sister and I'm very grateful for that.

Ah here we go. Room 403.

I silently open the door and peek in. He's still sleeping.

Michael had gone in to my room to give me my medicine and I noticed a tinge of happiness that wasn't there before. He wasn't going to tell me because he couldn't according to Ashton, but I broke him.

"Michael, you're exuding happiness. what is it?"

"Claire, I can't tell you. I promised Ash and I'm not telling you."

"tell meeeee."

"no. now let me finish putting this medicine on your IV so I can leave."

I faked a sad voice "why do you want to leave me?... everyone leaves me"

"no! no. ah shit, i didn't mean it like that Claire, I'm so sorry, i'm just everywhere and trying to finish fast today so I can go back when Luke wakes up again."

I stared. He was still messing with my IV and hadn't noticed what he told me.

"i'm kidding Mikey hahaha. But, since Luke woke up, can I GO SEE HIM!?" I practically jumped on my bed and the blanket fell.

"Wha-- who-- WHAT?! damn it Ashton is going to kill me."

I laughed.

"I won't tell. I promise. And I, unlike you, can keep a secret." I held out my pinky.

he laughed while he shook his head and swore with his pinky. I jumped up and hugged him excitedly.

"So, this means he's okay then?! He woke up right? He's okay? He'll be fine?!"

"woahhh woah woah. wayy too many questions. But yes, he woke up, but he did just come out of a coma so we have to take it easy on him okay?"

I smiled looking back down the hall seeing that no one noticed me slip out of my room. I had left the light off and the bed curtain somewhat closed so it made it seem like I was sleeping from the hall window.

I smiled at how proud I was and walked into Lukes room, closing the door behind me. It was dark in there, but I could still see him perfectly fine. He was sleeping, a machine doing a soft puffing noise at kept his breathing pace. I quietly walked to his side and sat down. I pulled my book out. I could read perfectly with the dim light the beginning of the sunset was exuding in to the window behind me.

----

I must have fallen asleep after reading a while because I woke up to my head laying on Lukes bed and my hand holding his hand. My shoulder was being gently shaken by Calum.

"hun, let's get you to your room so you can rest yeah?" he says softly.

I yawn and lift my head up and look at Luke sleeping.

"he'll be asleep for a bit longer I promise. It's also time for your medicine and you gave Michael a heart attack when we couldn't find you." he chuckled towards the end.

I smiled and sleepily attempted to get up but I got up stretching. I looked over to Luke and rubbed his arm gently.

"bye Luke, wake up soon, but wake up when you're not alone."

I walked out with Calum and sleepily walked back with him to my room.

Next Morning

Ashton POV:

My alarm went off and I turned to look at it. 4:45 a.m.

Calum and Michael had both sent me home. It was our day off and I had camped in Luke's room after shift but Michael pretty much dragged me after putting up a fight that I didn't want to leave. I agreed to get a few hours of sleep and a shower and then go back to the hospital with Michael.

As I walked down the stairs, I walked by Lukes room and froze. His door was still ajar, just like he left it the day of the accident. We hadn't touched it, or gone in to his room unless we extremely had to. It was tough on us walking by his room and not hear him humming or laughing at reruns of whatever he was watching.

I don't know how long I stared at his door but a hand in my shoulder brought me back to reality.
"You good Ash?"

I turned and saw Michael standing next to me.

"Yeah. Just, it's still weird having his room be there like nothing happened but so much did happen. It scares me how many times we came close to having to walk in his room and pack everything up. It just, it scares me. I used to walk in like nothing before. To pick up something or to drop something off or even just to watch a show and I haven't walked in since that morning. At all. I'm too scared to walk in and see anything of his. He did his routine and wasn't aware he wouldn't just be fighting a fire that day. He'd be fighting to save himself."

My voice volume had decreased to a low voice at the end of my sentence.

"I know Ash. But he's making it through. And soon he'll be back in this room scaring the shit out of us like he always does. I hit him every time he does it but I miss him jumping out from behind his wall to scare us. Every little thing he does it's scary that we almost lost. But he made it through all the surgeries. He made it through the coma. He just resting now and soon we'll be able to have him here again."

His hand kept gripping my shoulder for support. I gave my best smile and nodded.

I smiled and laugh a little.

"Yeah you're right. He'll be home soon again."